Welcome

We created an online community to preserve Charlie’s timeless music. We would love to hear about your experiences with Charlie. We are also looking for more content (photos, music or video) that you may want to contribute to the site. Please feel free to offer any suggestions for the site. Please help us keep Charlie’s gift ongoing…

21 thoughts on “Welcome”

Charlie was a really influential person and touched so many lives. The Memorial on June 4th was unforgettable. So many great stories were told so let's keep the ball rolling!! More stories, pictures and music!!Chaz

HI MY NAME IS JOANN, I MET CHARLIE AROUND 15 OR SO YEARS AGO. I WAS ALWAYS SO SHOCKED AT THE GIFT FOR MUSIC HE HAD .THE LAST SEVEN YEARS GOT TO KNOW HIM A EVEN BETTER.I GREW UP WITH MUSIC MY FATHER PLAYED , MY BROTHER AND MY SELF TOOK LESSON AS A CHILD. (NEVER LIKED LESSON)BACK TO THE POINT ALMOST SIX YEARS AGO WE HAD A BLOCK PARTY WE ASK CHARLIE TO PLAY FOR US HE GOT HIS BROTHER JOE, I HAD NEVER HEARD JOE PLAY. HE HAD JEFF LLOYED AN A FEW OTHERS. IT WAS THE BEST TIME THAT DAY! CHARLIE DID SO MUCH MORE THEN PLAY HE GAVE A GIFT TO MY RAY (MY OTHER HALF) HE GOT HIM TO PLAY HIS HARP.(HE PLAYS VERY WELL BUT WAS ALWAYS TO SHY)BUT THAT NIGHT WHEN WE GOT A FEW BEERS IN HIM CHARLIE DID IT. NO BODY KNEW RAY COULD PLAY .CHARLIE BROUGHT IT OUT AND THEY PLAYED TOGETHER A FEW TIMES AFTER THAT . THE PARTY WAS SO GREAT EVERYONE WAS ASKING WHO IS THE GUY JOE THEY THOUGHT HE WAS GREAT WE HAD ABOUT 150 EASY OR MORE AT THIS BLOCK PARTY . MY POINT IS EVERYONE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME. I CAN AND COULD NOT EVERY THANK CHARLIE FOR THE GIFT OF MUSIC HE GAVE TO MY SELF AND RAY BE GETTING HIM TO PLAY.SOME MAY SAY CHARLIE DID NOT USE HIS GIFT, THOSE PERSON DON'T KNOW THE ONLY GIFT YOU REALLY HAVE ARE THE ONES YOU SHARE WITH OTHERS AND PLACE IN ARE HEARTS.CHARLIE GAVE US ALL WHAT HE HAD. HE FELT THE WORLD AROUND HIM . HE FELT THE GOOD AND BAD. MY FATHER SAYS ITS HARD TO HEAR AN FEEL MUSIC LIKE HE DID. IT CAN WHERE YOU DOWN .WHEN HE FIRST HEAR CHARLIE HE CRIED. HE SAID HE NEVER HEARD A PERSON PUT IN MUSIC WHAT CHARLIE DID. SAID THIS IS A MAN THAT CAN FEEL YOUR SOLE AND PUTS IT IN TO SONGS. GOOD AND BAD.HE IS LIKE A DREAM CATCHER NOW HIS SPIRIT IS THE SONG. CHARLIE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR HEART— JOANN SHAFFER RAY ABOUNADER -SEAN ABOUNADER -ROBERT (BOB) SHAFFER- —PS THE STARS, THE MUSIC. YOU KNOW THE DEAL!I THANK YOU FOR THAT -(JO)

Hi, I'm Charlie's brother Joe. First off I want to say thanks to Ross and Chaz, I have heard nothing but great praise of this site and feel excited at the possibility of making available Charlie's great body of work.Thank you to all who became a part of the memorial – there are 'no regrets'.Initially, the most striking realization I had during this past two weeks was the maturity of Charlie's lyrics and the arrangements he heard of his songs, and partially achieved. For many years, Charlie included me, without merit, to play. It was my constant nag to have him play his originals, which he would almost never do, live. To him the song wasn't complete without the intricate changes and instrumentation, whether it was a choir part, a horn or a violin.The one place he felt most connected to that was with Ross. Maybe it was starting together at such a tender age, but Charlie almost exclusively trusted Ross's music to fit his own.As for the maturity, my faulty recollection starts like this, correct me if I'm wrong….Charlie was around 14 yrs old when he wrote 'Blue Feel', we lived in Reno at the time, I remember the crowning moment when he played the song for Rex (the person he most respected for musical judgement)…anyway he plays this song (which Tom McCullough says could be a classic along the lines of 'Yesterday'), after listening intently and giving praise, Rex said now that we know you can write a sad song let me see if you can write something positive, Charlie's response was 'June'…one of my favorites.He spent the the rest of his life crafting his art to be honest and encouraging. It took some time, during the next few years most of his lyrics were downers such, 'have you ever been alone' etc… You can see the beggining transformation on the Lemont session, and continued throughout the New Mexico period where his lyrics became his heart. They reflected his desire to lift and elevate, and in my opinion successfully created one of the most unique 'voices' on our planet! (not hyperbole).It was an absolute honor to be one of the few that got to hear that voice – so with this site there may be a chance to do God's work by letting that voice be heard by more – we could all use it….Joe

Joe, I'm sure I have recordings of both "Blue Feel" and "June". When I find them, I will upload them as I sort through the hundreds of cassettes I have.

Some of Charlie's best stuff was his work tapes (when his music was coming out). I'm not sure he would like it but, I would like to make some of those tape available too so others might listen to his genius.

We wrote a lot here in New Mexico. I'll bet you didn't know that Mark Tucker is on the song "Said Goodbye" playing slide.

There is a lot more music to come. I think Charlie would like that we put his music on the website and created this blog for others to share.

Ross,I did know that. When Mark came home from college (Davis, I think), he visited my house in livermore, Charlie was staying with me at the time. And Mark was saying how he had developed an appreciation for Blue Grass..he had recently bought the Fender lap steel – for two days I recorded Charlie and Mark picking, it was magical! (I have it on reel somewhere).A little bit later Charlie, Mark, and I played 'country music' with Archie Johnson as 'Archie and the Lone Star Lineup', around 1977 – we even did a funky local television show where people square danced. Charlie played bass – the bright spot was Mark's lap steel work…I was awefull, they could have been a stellar band with a decent drummer. But like I said, Charlie for some reason, always brought me along. I think his propensity of taking in straglers prevented him from having a more successful live career.

Joe don't sell yourself short you and Charlie made a good team. Charlie felt good having you and Richie there, I could see it when you guys played.I'll be uploading some pictures from Panama Bay I took in 2008 soon. I'm still kinda stunned from the loss. Charlie was always a great guy to visit with and a very encouraging musician, which is hard to find, most get caught up in their egos. Charlie just wasn't that kind, he was genuine, the real deal….

It's the Friday befor the 4th of July and I'm listening to Chuck's song "4th of July" What a great song. I had the pleasure of playing it with him & Joe…..good memories. Now I take him with me whenever I go out and play….for the rest of my life. Working on recording a song "Only the Beginning" which I wrote for Charlie after I learned of his passing. Hope to share it with you all soon.

Hello Joe, You might remember me my name Lucky Kotz I played drums with Charlie for quite a while there,Brian Alsup, T.Bone Hudson, Geoffrey Loyd,Tommy Taylor,Dennis Gilmore,Jeff Ferasci,Archie Moore to name a few. We did play some kick ass rock & roll together and I believe you let me sit in at that block party Joann spoke of. Your brother had more talent in his small toenail than most had in there whole body. Please give me a call so we can talk cell 619-733-4839 or e-mail dkotz1@gmail.com GOD BLESS US ALL

"ANOTHER GOOD MAN TAKEN AGAIN"YOU BOUGHT ME MY FIRST JONI MITCHELL ALBUM COURT AND SPARK. IT WAS MY 14TH BIRTHDAY.WE SAT UP IN MY BEDROOM AND LISTENED TO IT AND YOU LET ME SMOKE CIGARETTES WITH YOU. AFTER I TOOK THE KIDS TO SCHOOL, YOU WOULD BUZZ OVER TO MY PLACE FOR COFFEE WE WOULD LISTEN TO STEELY DAN, BEATLES, SONS OF CHAPLIN, STEVIE WONDER, JAMES TAYLOR, IN A WORLD OF OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING A LANGUAGE FEW COULD RELATE TO. THE LAST CONVERSATION WE HAD, WAS ON THE PHONE. YOU COULDN'T REMEMBER THE WORDS TO "IF ITS MAGIC',I SANG IT TO YOU AND YOU CRIED..WE WERE ALWAYS SUCH GOOD FRIENDS, I LOOKED UP TO YOU WITH SUCH PRIDE AND RESPECT.ALWAYS FEELING PROUD TO INTRODUCE YOU AS MY BROTHER CHARLIE TO MY FRIENDS. YOU FELT THE SAME WAY, AND ALWAYS BROUGHT ME INTO YOUR WORLD, AS YOUR SIS K.J.THE ONLY TIME WE GOT ANGRY WITH EACH OTHER WAS OUT OF FRUSTRATION THAT WE WEREN'T DOING BETTER FOR OURSELVES.DEATH IS A BRUTAL REMINDER OF HOW FRAGILE LIFE IS.YOU WERE TAKEN TOO SOON FROM THIS WORLD, I MISS YOU TERRIBLY.THREE MONTHS ALMOST TO THE DAY AFTER LOSING CHARLIE, I LOST MY BEST FRIEND JOANNE (her blog is posted above)A FEW DAYS BEFORE SHE DIED SHE CALLED ME SO EXCITED SHE HAD A DREAM OF CHARLIE SHE COULD NOT GET OVER HOW REAL IT WAS. CHARLIE WAS TELLING HER HOW HE FELT NO PAIN ANYMORE AND JUST HOW COOL HEAVEN WAS!! NOBODY COULD EVER KNOW DAYS LATER JOANNE WOULD DIE INSTANTLY FROM A HEARTATTACK.I KNOW CHARLIE HELPED HER TO THE OTHER SIDE.SO LONG OLD FRIEND, UNTIL WE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN….YOUR LITTLE SIS KATEY JUNE

One year ago today, we lost one of the most amazing men I have ever met. I love you and miss you. I'll be going out to CA in the next few weeks…it's bot going to be the same without you there. I LOVE YOU!!!

Hello my name is John Murphy.I am Charlies cousin.In 1968 my dad(Charles Joseph Murphy) told us kids that his brother(Rex Murphy)was coming to Sioux City, Iowa to visit and bringing the family with. We were exited to meet are cousins from out west, cousins i had never met, I was 10.The only thing I remember about that day was, and I'll never forget,was that they played guitars and sang it was pretty cool. Ihave never seen any of my cousins since that day,I would have loved to sit and played and sang with them today.I was talking to my brother Dan tonight and he told me that my aunt June was in town visiting acouple of weeks ago and I wish I could have seen her. He also said that Charlie had passed away and that there was a web site to go to to hear some of his music. I did and loved it.Charlie was named after my father who passed away in 1987. In 1990 another Charlie Murphy was born (my son) named after his Grandpa Murphy also.I will continue to listen to these songs and get to know them, music lives on and on. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE TWO FRIENDS OF CARLIES WHO PUT THIS STUFF ON THE NET, LOVE THE PICS AND MUSIC AND COMMENTS. Im sure that Charlie was a really cool person, Iwish I could have known him and would love to meet his brothers and sisters someday

Aloha, My name is Tom Hawkins and Charlie was one of the best friends I have had in my life. I was just in San Francisco for my birthday this year and thought of Charlie and decided to look him up on google to see if I could find a phone number and call him. I was shocked to find this website and am writing to share my fond memories of him and offer my heartfelt condolences to family and friends. I have a couple of pics I will post too. I met Charlie in Breckenridge Colorado in the early eighties. He was playing music at The Village Pub where I worked as a bartender, sometimes solo and sometimes with the Brecks Band. We quickly became friends and after the bars closed would go to someone's place and jam and write and sing. He impressed everyone with his musical knowledge, style, and soul. I left Breckenridge in 1986 and moved to Hawaii, we kept in touch and the last time I visited him was in Oakland as I was on my way to Europe in 1989. I think he had just gotten married maybe, I don't remember for sure. Thanks for creating this site and providing Charlie's tunes, I always loved his own songs too.Aloha OeTom Hawkins

DAMN I MISS YOU!! A REMINDER TO ALL! DONT LET DUMB PETTY STUFF GET IN YOUR WAY! TELL THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE, JUST HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO YOU, NOW, TIME IS PRECIOUS. I WISH I COULD HAVE ONE MORE DAY WITH YOU CHAS MAN BROTHER. LOVE AND MISS YOU TERRIBLY!!

I was here on the site looking for the song “We Will Meet on the Other Side”. Charlie sang this for me at my boyfriend’s service when, my love Robert Frary passed away. I will forever be eternally grateful for that memory. I tear up anytime I listen to it. So, I don’t listen very often, but this morning I was feeling melancholy and this song is what I needed. Thank you for the fun times we had singing together at different places and letting me play my harmonica too. You have a place in my heart forever…till we meet on the other side, my friend.